Chapter Six #2
‘By the way,’ she added, before disappearing, ‘I love the choice of outfit!’
‘You do?’
Flora beamed, although her little face was anxious about Alessandro. She’d packed her mini backpack and Georgie didn’t have much trouble guessing what would be in there. Activities and maybe a favourite toy.
She was a quiet, serious, methodical little kid and Georgie wondered whether that was her way of dealing with a chaotic background with a mother willing to play tug of war with her and a dad who had been denied access for many months and before then? Who knew?
Alessandro was a workaholic. He adored his daughter but did he let his hair down when he was with her? Laugh and fling her in the air and play ball and try and braid her hair when there was no one else around to do it?
Or were those activities reserved for the nannies?
Having told herself that she wasn’t going to be drawn into the family drama because it was one she would be leaving behind in a matter of days, she was now being drawn in.
She shook her head with frustration, ran to fetch some water and two minutes later she was back in Alessandro’s room to find him sitting up and looking like death warmed up.
‘Okay. I give in. You’re right. I’m not well. This has never happened to me before. Where is Flora?’
‘I’ve told her to give you a little time to get back on your feet. Also, it would be awful if she caught anything. It would ruin her time here and she’s so excited.’
‘You might be the one to catch whatever I have.’
‘I’m probably more robust than you.’ Georgie smirked. ‘That’s the joy of living an outdoor life. Take the tablets.’
‘I abhor taking tablets.’
‘I don’t care. Take them. You need to be up and running as fast as you can. Flora’s brimming over with excitement and it’ll be nice for you to spend the time with her.’
She remembered her thoughts about how he might spend his time with his daughter. Money might be able to buy a lot, but no amount of money could buy quality time and, for a workaholic, quality time could be in thin supply.
Or maybe, in the grip of never-ending ambition, he had forgotten how to take time out and do nothing, which was often what a kid needed from a parent.
But that was just speculation.
‘Perhaps you could run me a bath,’ he said, lying back on the pillows and closing his eyes.
Georgie sighed. He looked vulnerable, which she knew was dangerous because she could already feel herself softening when she was determined to remain detached.
With his eyes closed and without the guarded, cool self-assurance she had become accustomed to, he looked boyish and much younger.
‘I’ll… I’ll get Flora some breakfast and, okay, I’ll run you a bath.’
‘I’m glad you’re here,’ Alessandro mumbled in such a low voice that she had to lean towards him to hear him clearly.
‘I beg your pardon?’
His eyes flicked open, catching her unawares and holding her startled gaze for a few silent seconds.
‘Glad you’re here. I can’t remember a time… I don’t do this but…doesn’t feel awful…you being here…’
‘You’re not making any sense.’ She felt his forehead again with the back of her hand. ‘You’re clammy. Your fever’s doing the talking. You should try and get some sleep once you’ve had a bath.’
‘I’ve never been in this situation before.’ He clasped her hand with his and carried on looking at her. ‘Never been ill. Can’t even remember being ill when I was a kid. Never known what it’s felt like for someone to bring me tablets with water with no agenda. Feels okay.’
Georgie reddened. She felt heat course through her because there was a sudden searing intimacy between them that locked her in place.
Did he feel it as well?
Or was he babbling because he had a high fever and that was what you did when you had a high fever? You babbled without thinking.
Her eyes slipped down to the primly covered body and she had a vivid image of what that primly covered body might look like, naked and beautiful and tempting.
She felt faint.
‘I’d do this for anyone,’ she said roughly, pulling back and fiddling with the packet of tablets she had brought in with her. ‘I’ll be back in a minute to run the bath. Do you want anything to eat? I could order room service.’
‘Not that hungry.’
‘You should eat. Feed a cold, starve a fever and all that.’
‘You’re bossy. I like that.’
His voice was drowsy and she felt dangerously close to really liking all the stuff he was saying. She had to remind herself sternly that none of it counted because he wasn’t well.
In a fluster she gave Flora some biscuits to tide her over, told her she could have a chat with her dad but stay by the bedroom door.
‘Germs have a habit of leaping about,’ she cautioned, making leaping motions with her fingers and feeling gratified when Flora burst out laughing.
‘But you’re looking after him.’
‘That’s what partners do,’ Georgie said, thinking on the spot. ‘Loving partners and, besides, I have a separate bedroom so those leaping germs won’t get to me.’
Too much information? It was an impulse statement just in case reports filtered back to a prying ex.
She heard Flora chatting to her dad as she phoned through for room service, which was speedy thanks to the fact that they had their own personal concierge.
She and Flora would have breakfast downstairs in the restaurant.
‘Right, miss, I’m going to run a bath for your dad so why don’t you listen out for someone bringing up some food? You can let them in and supervise while they set the table in the kitchenette? Think you’re responsible enough for that super important job?’
And then it was rush, rush, rush as she headed straight to Alessandro’s en suite to run a bath.
Her nerves were all over the place when she returned, bath run, to find him still under the covers.
‘You’ll have to help me to the bath.’
‘No way.’
‘Okay.’ He began edging himself from under the covers and just when she thought her heart was going to slam out of her ribcage, she realised that he was wearing boxers.
She stared with bold fascination and he slowly levered himself into an upright position.
He was magnificent. She couldn’t breathe and only reached to half support him when she saw that he looked a little dizzy at the effort.
The heat from his body slammed into her and she felt the weight of his arm draped over her shoulders as hot and heavy as a branding iron.
‘I’ll bring your food in and leave it on a tray by the side of your bed…’ She began backing out of the bathroom. ‘Are you okay to…er…?’
‘I’m already feeling better.’
‘I’ll be back…’
‘This isn’t what I had planned.’
‘I get that.’
He hesitated and then flushed.
‘I’ll be back on my feet by this evening. I don’t do ill health.’
‘Ill health might disagree with you.’
He looked at her and smiled. His dark hair was tousled and he had a six o’clock shadow on his chin because he hadn’t shaved.
Arousal almost made her pass out.
‘I like your chirpy pep talk and your bossiness. I shouldn’t but I do.’
For a second, he looked as though he needed to sit down and take the weight off and she almost wanted to wait till he’d made his way into the bath but the very thought made her feel even more like passing out, so she smiled back at him.
‘Well… I’ll take care of Flora for the day. In fact, don’t worry about her. I’ll make sure she enjoys being here and when you’re better you can take over.’
She turned away but then he said, which made her pause with her hand on the doorknob, ‘Georgie? Thanks.’
The day had come and gone. Where? How? It had just disappeared by the time Alessandro heard Georgie opening the door outside.
He was still too knocked out to do much but half sit up and listen to Flora’s excited chatter and then the lower, laughing voice as Georgie replied to whatever was being said.
For the first time in his adult life, he hadn’t worked. No emails, no conference calls, no reports read or data analysed or remote meetings held.
He’d had a bath, eaten some of the breakfast Georgie had ordered for him and then spent the entire day in bed, drifting in and out of sleep, unaware of the minutes and hours passing by.
In a weird way it had been pleasurable. Now, as he heard their voices outside the room, he felt a deep sense of contentment.
His bedroom door was half open and he was looking at it when Georgie pushed it open.
‘You’ve been out all day.’ He looked at his watch and was startled at the time. ‘It’s nearly six-thirty!’
‘Dad!’ Flora ran up behind Georgie, squeezed past her and came to a screeching stop as she remembered the mantra that she should keep a bit of distance or risk getting ill on her holiday.
‘Good day, little flower?’
He smiled and listened as Flora embarked on an excited description of everything they had done. The breakfast they had eaten.
‘Elsa from Frozen was there!’
The rides they had been on. ‘Magic Kingdom’s amazing, Dad! We took a boat and saw so much stuff! And…and…and…tell Dad about that ride, Georgie! The one where you said you were scared!’
Flora’s cheeks were flushed, her normally neat hair was dishevelled and she was wearing a motley assortment of colourful patterned clothes, bright cartoon-character top with flowered leggings and sparkly trainers, which was unlike the more formal designer clothing she usually wore whenever he came to collect her for days out.
This wasn’t the serious little girl he would take to expensive restaurants or on expensive shopping trips.
For the first time, she could have been any other six-year-old, overexcited, hopping from foot to foot, waving her hands in a flurry of childish pleasure at the day she’d had.
And looking up to Georgie just enough for Alessandro to sense a bond being formed.
A bond he had specifically not wanted to encourage.
‘Have you eaten?’ he asked, and was bombarded by details of the burger she’d had in the restaurant. I had waffles for dessert, Dad, and they were shaped like Mickey Mouse!
‘How are you feeling, Alessandro?’